Depression and Relationships, Part Two: Baby Boom

Baby Boom was one of my favourite movies way back in the 90's. It was a story where the heroine (played by Diane Keaton), who is a brilliant and successful advertising executive, is faced with a choice of whether to continue to become more successful and live in the fast lane, or enjoy a lesser degree of success but be able to stay home and raise her baby and enjoy a meaningful relationship and small town life. You guessed it, she chose home and baby and a relationship! I liked that! That fit in with my value system.
One of the other things I like about the movie is that she buys an old house in the country and fixes it up. I have always loved old country houses, owned one myself once... and this house is probably my favourite 'movie' house. Here is a picture in case you are curious.

Diane Keaton is a bottom-line kind of gal. She doesn't want to know all of the details and background information. She wants the basic information, the bottom line. I'm like that too.

She is not a good team player. She doesn't have time to listen to everyone's point of view. She needs only the essential facts and only when she needs them. Me too!

I can really understand that. I can learn only on a needs to know basis. If you tell me stuff I don't need to know, I won't remember it.

These aspects of my character, combined with depression, are challenging to relationships.

There is a scene from the movie where she is experiencing yet another expensive fix to her old house. She needs a new well. As her Mr. Fixit guy is trying to explain it all to her she says "I just want to turn on the faucet and have water. I don't want to know where it is coming from!"

Kind of like the characters in our last movie, 'When Harry Met Sally', Diane Keaton is a bit of a nutcake. She is a little crazy, unstable, emotional but that does make her unable to have a relationship? With a lot of men yes, but not with the right kind of guy. Of course who better than Hollywood to create the right kind of guy for her, the strong silent type.

As I attempt to write about depression and relationships, I am having a bit of fun talking about movies instead of real people. But movies do it so well. I mean, in the movies, even eccentrics can be made to look cute or appealing or even desirable.

Next time I would like to share with you another one of my favourite movies, this time with two characters that could not manage a relationship with most people, except maybe each other! And in this instance, one of the characters is not just eccentric but has bonified diagnosed mental illness!

WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling today? Are you aware of how your mental illness affects your relationships? 

Don't give up! There is hope for depression.